News

European Commission Adopts Legislative Proposals for Cohesion Policy 2014 – 2020

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

On 6 October 2011, the European Commission adopted legislative proposals for cohesion policy during the period 2014 – 2020. Among other, the new proposals set out the rules for the use of the European Regional Development Fund and the European Social Fund (together referred to as the EU Structural Funds) in the next programming period.

Transition from institutional to community-based care has been included in both the ERDF and ESF Regulations as one of the areas which should be supported by the Structural Funds. Should this be approved by the European Parliament and the Council, it would be a big step in advancing de-institutionalisation in the European Union, and would support the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

The Commission proposals will be discussed by the European Parliament and the Council during the period 2012 - 2013. The new Regulations should enter into force in 2014.

All the legislative proposals are available here.

Events & Publications

UN OHCHR Video on De-institutionalisation

Video by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights calling for the development of community-based services and the closure of long-stay residential institutions for children and adults with disabilities.

Out of Sight - Human Rights in Psychiatric Hospitals and Social Care Institutions in Croatia

This report, published in October 2011, presents the findings of monitoring visits made to selected psychiatric hospitals and social care institutions in Croatia carried out by MDAC and SHINE in June 2010.

Access to justice for persons with disabilities: Commissioner Hammarberg intervenes before the Strasbourg Court

“Persons with disabilities are all too often denied access to justice on an equal basis with others”, said the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Thomas Hammarberg, submitting written observations to the European Court of Human Rights on a case concerning the treatment of a person with disability in Romania.